Can rack



United States Patent [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 842,595 1/1907 Vasconcelles 220/97(B)UX 1,451,146 4/1923 Fate 220/97(B)UX Primary Examiner- Robert G. Sheridan Att0rney-Arthur P. Savage and Kenneth E. Prince ABSTRACT: A holder for cans containing biological material which must be frozen with great rapidity in liquid air or nitrogen, comprising a sheet of metal approximately semicircular in cross section, having inturned vertical marginal portions and inturned bottom tabs. The combination includes a handle which engages a hole punched near the top of the holder, and includes an insulating portion of fiber glass or fabric-reinforced plastic, long enough to protect the hands of an operator from spatter. The open front permits reading essential indicia on each can. Spring margins permit the insertion or withdrawal of cans without disturbing others.

Patented Nov. 24, 1970 John B Pare/son INVENT OR ATTORNEY 1 C N RACK This invention relates to a holder used for holding cansof.

colloidal systems have been used, which duplicate with considerable exactnessthe freezing and thawing characteristics of undiluted semen. The ,diluent also prevents all segregation and, after thawing, produces a culture having the same viscosity as had the undiluted material.

Formerly the culture was packaged and sealed in glass ampoules which were scored so that they could be easily broken by the veterinarian. Sealing these ampoules required raising the temperature of the neck of the glass to the melt temperature. Occasionally this damaged the contents. More recently, breeders service companies have begun the packaging of the culture in small aluminum cans which are sealed under asceptic conditions by a can end, and the conventional double seam. The cans have much better heat transfer characteristics than has the glass. They can beopened quickly since a tear tab is usually included on the end, and all danger of broken glass is eliminated at the time of use.

Immediate and rapid freezing is necessary in order to preserve the viability of the culture. Conventionally thecans have been dropped into liquid air or liquid nitrogen to accomplish the freezing step. These are very dangerous substances, and any spatter can cause serious injury. 4

It is the object of this invention to produce a holder which allows the stack of cans to be lowered intoliquid nitrogen easily and safely; to produce a holder which retains the cans with a grip sufficient to withstand the violence of the ebullition as the oans, at room temperature, are lowered into the liquid gas.

It is also an object to permit any can in the stack to be removed easily and quickly without disturbing the others, since it is necessary to get the remaining cans back into frozen storage as quickly as possible.

The apparatus that allows the handling of cans under such circumstances in a safe and easy manner is shown in the drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a metal block from which the can holder is fabricated, j

F [0.2 is a front elevation of the loaded can holder including a portion of the handle engaged'therewith,

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the handle with portions broken away to show the insulation,

FIG. 4 is a cross section through the can holder on the line' A-A of FIG. 2, and

FIG. Sis a bottom view of the can rack.

The can holder, generally 10, is made as follows: assuming that the culture can is on seamless drawn aluminum, typically 1 /2 inches high and 2% inches in diameter across the doubleseamed end, a blank, 11, as shown in FIG. 1 approximately 5% inches wide and 12% inches long is cut, leaving tabs, 12, which project about one-half inches below the lower margin, 13. The blank, 11, is then rolled into a circular form, the inside diameter of which very conveniently measure 2% inches. The curbed blank is then fitted into a die which flattens a width of approximately one-half inches along the vertical margin and bends the metal inwardly along broken lines 14 so that the planes of the flat marginal portions, 15, are secants, slightly encroaching into the circular space.

The tabs, 12, are then bent inwardly at right angles to provide support as shown in FIG. 5 for the column of cans, 16, which then are fitted inside the can holder. The margins, 15, of the can holder, 10, are free and unconnected both at the top, 17, and at the bottom, 13, of the can holder, 10. Accordingly the holder, 10, may be sprung apart to insert or to free any of the culture cans. Nevertheless, the springy nature of the can holder retains the cans along the entire length thereof including the midsection as shownin FIG. 4 in a rigid and safe stack, even in the violently boiling liquid when the cans in the holder are lowered into the Dewar vessel.

The handle, 18, which is shown in complete FIG. 3 and partially in FIG. 2 comprises a hook portion, 17, which engages in a hole, 30, as shown FIG; 2, punched on the center line of the can holder, adjacent the top margin, and a grip portion, 22, which is so shaped that it will fit neatly over the fingers of the operator or the veterinarian. As shown in FIG. 3 a piece of insulating material, 23, such as a fiber glass rod or a fabric-reinforced laminate occupies the space between the hook. 19, and the grip, 22. Both hook and handle are inserted in a bore, 23, formed in the ends of the laminate and are held with appropriate hardening adhesive cement, 24. The extreme cold therefore is not conducted to the hands of the operator along a metallic pathway. The handle, 18, is made long enough so that there is little danger of cold burn and injury to the hands and fingers of the operator from any splashing of the liquid.

When the cans are first lowered into the liquid, that liquid which floods the space between the top of one can and the bottom of the next is heated by the cans and returns to its gaseous state. The ebullition is often so violent that the cans are pushed apart. One, or possibly two cans, could be pushed longitudinally out ofthe holder were it not for the special configuration of the book, 19. This is curved into an 8" shape which terminates in an elongated arm, 25. As shown in FIG. 2, the holder, 10, is suspended from the hook, 19. Arm, 25, is made long enough to bear on the top surface, 27, of the topmost can, 28, when the handle, 18, is erect and the holder is being lowered into the Dewar flask of liquid. Arm, 25, consequently, locks the column of cans in place. The violent boiling of the liquid cannot dislodge them. The projecting wire grip, 22, which extends beyond the neck of the Dewar flask, can be grasped easily by a heavily gloved hand.

The open gap between the vertical margins, 15, of the holder gives ample space for the necessary indicia which must appear on each can, and allows quick visual identification. As the stack of cans is withdrawn from the refrigeration chamber, frost quickly obscures any labeling, but the gap between the margins, 15, allows the frost to be wiped off. Accordingly the lot and individual culture can be completely identified even beforethawing has taken place. Quick identification has considerable value, for the remaining cans should not be allowed to thaw or even experience substantial temperature variations. They should be returned to the refrigeration chamber just as quickly as possible.

The holder is so inexpensive that it, like the cans, can be a throw-away item. It holds the cans in compact stacks while they are stored in the refrigeration chamber, but its very special value is the protection it affords the operator from spattering and burns" from the intense cold of the refrigerant liquid.

I claim:

1. The combination of a holder for cans containing biological material which must be frozen with great rapidity comprising a sheet of metal having an approximately semicircular cross section and flattened vertical marginal portions extending along the vertical margin of said sheet, the planes of which are secants of the circle, tabs projecting inwardly from the bottom margin of said sheet normal to said sheet and forming a support for cans to be placed in the holder, and a handle comprising a body portion and a grip portion projecting at approximately right angles to said body portion, an S shaped holder-engaging portion adapted to fit through an orifice in said holder having a terminal arm adapted to bear on the top surface of the topmost can in said holder when the handle is in erect position, and an insulating intermediate portion adhesively secured to the said'grip and hook portions of sufficient length to protect the hands of the operator from spatter and prevent the rapid transfer of heat along the said handle.

2. In combination with a holder for a stack of cans containing biological material to be frozen in a liquefied gas, means to prevent the ebullition of the gas from dislodging the cans or top surface of the topmost can in said holder when the holder is suspended by the said handle, whereby top pressure is applied through the end of the S to the entire stack of cans, when ebullition occurs, is prevented.

mg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,542,265 D t d November 24, 1970 Invent0r(S) John B. Peterson It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

The remainder of Claim 2 after Column 4, line 3 should read -in said holder, and dislodgement of the cans, when ebulliti occurs, is prevented.--'

SIGNED AND SEALED FEB SEAL) Aneat:

Edward M. member, in 

